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Shell-Setup (Standard 8 Module Reference)

  • Article

7/8/2014

Review the settings, dependencies and any notes for the Shell-Setup section of the Embedded Core module in the Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) module catalog.

These settings control how the Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) operating system shell is installed on a destination device.

Settings

This module includes the following settings.

Notes

Asynchronous Command

You can use the Action setting attribute to specify the action to take when you use the configuration file to create or modify an image. The following table shows the possible values.

Value

Description

AddListItem

Adds the item or items to an image.

ModifyListItem

Modifies the value or the item as specified in Key or Value in an image.

RemoveListItem

Removes the item or items in an image.

AutoLogon

This setting specifies the account to use to log on to a device automatically. AutoLogon credentials are deleted from the unattended installation configuration file after Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) Setup is complete.

Important

Ensure that AutoLogon is disabled on devices that are delivered to customers.

By default, the built-in administrator account is disabled in all default, clean installations.

You can enable the built-in administrator account during unattended installations, even if a password is not specified in AdministratorPassword, by setting Username to the English word “Administrator”. If you specify a password in AdministratorPassword, then use the same password in AutoL

To automatically log on to a device in audit mode, you must set both AutoLogon and AdministratorPassword and add them to the auditSystem configuration pass.

For an example of how to set automatic logon, see AutoLogon XML Example.

ClientApplications

These settings specify the default applications to use when the user restores the device manufacturer's settings through Default Programs. These settings must use the application’s canonical name. For more information on canonical names, see this Registering Programs with Client Types on MSDN. Do not create an empty value for any of these settings.

Any program specified for any of these settings must be able to change default file associations. If a setting is missing or blank, the default program associated with that setting does not change when the user chooses to reinstate the original OEM configuration. For example, if a setting is not specified for JavaVM, the default virtual machine for Java is left unchanged.

For an example about how to set client applications, see ClientApplications XML Example.

Display

These settings specify settings for the display device. If the specified settings cannot be set on the display device, Standard 8 attempts to match the requested mode as closely as possible.

FirstLogonCommands

This setting specifies the commands to run the first time a user logs on to the device. These commands run only once, after logon and prior to showing the desktop. The commands run in the order specified; each command must finish before the next command runs.

For an example of how to specify two commands to run after first logon, see FirstLogonCommands XML Example.

When a user with administrative privileges logs in for the first time, these commands are run with elevated access privileges.

If User Account Controls (UAC) (formerly known as Limited User Account (LUA)) is enabled, when the user logs on for the first time, a dialog box prompts the user with an option to allow an administrator to apply the commands. If the UAC is disabled or if the user cancels the dialog box, the FirstLogonCommands are not executed.

If a command requires user input, the Preparing Your Desktop screen appears after Windows Welcome for up to two minutes before users can see and interact with the desktop. This screen prevents users from interacting with the first logon commands, and is intended to efficiently run the logon commands that do not require user input. If the first command does not require user input, the Preparing Your Desktop screen is removed so users can reach the desktop more quickly.

Tip

If the command that requires user input is not dependent on other commands, we recommend that you use an asynchronous command instead. Unlike synchronous commands, asynchronous commands can start and finish in any order. Asynchronous commands cannot delay the appearance of the Standard 8 desktop, even if the asynchronous command requires user input. If an asynchronous command requires user input, the end user will see the input window after the desktop appears.
If you have multiple first logon commands, you should prevent users from interfering with the other commands. We recommend that you set the command that requires user input last in the order of FirstLogonCommands commands.

LocalAccount

If you create a local account with no password in an unattend file previously created in Image Configuration Editor (ICE), it will not be included in the image when deployed to the device.

You can use the Action setting attribute to specify the action to take when you use the configuration file to create or modify an image. The following table shows the possible values.

Value

Description

AddListItem

Adds the item or items to an image.

ModifyListItem

Modifies the value or the item as specified in Key or Value in an image.

RemoveListItem

Removes the item or items in an image.

LogonCommands

This setting specifies commands to run asynchronously when the user logs on.

Asynchronous commands cannot delay the appearance of the desktop, even if the asynchronous command requires user input. If an asynchronous command requires user input, the end user will see the input window after the desktop appears.

Asynchronous commands may start and may finish in any order. If your commands must be run in a specific order, use FirstLogonCommands for a series of synchronous commands instead.

Note

You cannot use this setting to launch applications that require administrative privileges.

The RequiredUserInput setting is not used.

OEMWelcomeCenter

This setting specifies settings for an application that the OEM can use to introduce users to the device, and to provide information about OEM-specific programs or offers. Use this setting with OEMWelcomeCenterLinks to specify shortcuts that appear as tasks in the OEM application Jump List.

Tip

We recommend that you add the shortcut file to the Start menu for all users, for example: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Fabrikam\Welcome.lnk.
We recommend that you do not add the shortcut by using the environment variable %USERPROFILE%. Shortcuts using %USERPROFILE% are applied only to the profile of the next user to log on to the device.
We recommend that you add the OEM application to run as the first shortcut in the Start menu list of most frequently used programs, so that users can access the application repeatedly until they have accomplished all of the OEM-provided first run tasks. For information, see StartPanelLinks.
We do not recommend that you add this shortcut to the taskbar because the taskbar is designed to provide end users with ready access to the applications they use every day. The OEM first run application is designed to introduce the user to the device. Also, any shortcut that is pinned to the taskbar will not appear in the Start menu list of most frequently used programs.
For information about how to configure Windows 8 Application Launcher to perform a specified action based on an exit value returned by the app, see Windows 8 Application Launcher Overview.

These settings specify a path and file name of a shortcut file with a .lnk file name extension that is on the destination computer. The shortcut appears as a task in the Jump List in the OEM First Run application.

We do not recommend that you add the shortcut by using the environment variable %USERPROFILE%. Shortcuts added by using %USERPROFILE% are applied only to the profile of the next user to log on to the computer. Also, if the setting is applied during the auditUser configuration pass, the shortcut is applied only to the temporary administrator account, which is removed after the computer exits audit mode.

PromotedIcon

These settings specify an icon to be shown in the visible system notification area on the taskbar in place of the Action Center icon. Up to four system notification icons display in the visible portion of the system notification area on the desktop. By default, these icons are Action Center, Battery—if the system hardware includes battery support—Network, and Volume. By setting PromotedIcon1 and PromotedIcon2, you can select another icon to be visible in the system notification area in place of the Action Center or Battery icon.

To select the icon to be visible, you must:

  • Select an application file that includes a system notification icon. This application file must be signed.
  • Set both the Path and GUID elements for the file.

This setting specifies which shortcuts to display on the Start menu list of most frequently used programs. You can specify up to five shortcuts.

Each shortcut file must include the complete path and file name of a corresponding program file with an .exe file name extension. The path to the program file must refer to a location on the destination device.

Shortcut files must be placed either in the Start menu or on the desktop. Otherwise they will not appear in the list of most frequently used items. We recommend that you add shortcut files to the Start menu for all users, for example: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Fabrikam\Application.lnk, to enable all users to access the programs, and to keep the desktop clean for the end user.

We do not recommend that you add the shortcut by using the environment variable %USERPROFILE%. Shortcuts added by using %USERPROFILE% are applied only to the profile of the next user to log on to the computer.

Also, if the setting is applied during the auditUser configuration pass, the shortcut is applied only to the temporary administrator account, which is removed after exiting audit mode.

When you add the OEM application to run first, we recommend that you also add it as the first shortcut in the Start menu list of most frequently used programs, so that users can access the application repeatedly until they have accomplished all of the specified tasks. For information, see OEMWelcomeCenter.

Note

Any item that is pinned to the taskbar will not appear in the Start menu list of frequently used programs.

You cannot add certain programs to the list of most frequently used programs. For a list of these programs, see the Exclusion Lists for Taskbar Pinning and Recent/Frequent Lists on MSDN.

StartTiles

For information about Tiles, see Tiles Overview. For information about tile sizes, see Tile Display Sizes. For an example of how to configure square tiles and desktop tiles, see Tile XML Example.

SynchronousCommand

You can use the Action setting attribute to specify the action to take when you use the configuration file to create or modify an image. The following table shows the possible values.

Value

Description

AddListItem

Adds the item or items to an image.

ModifyListItem

Modifies the value or the item as specified in Key or Value in an image.

RemoveListItem

Removes the item or items in an image.

This setting specifies which shortcuts to display on the taskbar. Up to three can be specified. Each shortcut file must include the complete path and file name of a corresponding program file with an .exe file name extension. The path to the program file must refer to a location on the destination device.

Note

Any item that is pinned to the taskbar will not appear in the Start panel list of most frequently used programs.

We recommend that you add shortcut files to the Start menu for all users, for example: %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Fabrikam\Application.lnk.

We do not recommend that you add the shortcut by using the environment variable %USERPROFILE% because they will be applied only to the profile of the next user to log on to the device.

Also, if the system applies the setting during the auditUser configuration pass, the shortcut is applied only to the temporary administrator account, which is removed after exiting audit mode.

Certain programs cannot be added to the taskbar. For a list of these programs, see Exclusion Lists for Taskbar Pinning and Recent/Frequent Lists on MSDN.

Customized Themes

You can customize elements of the Standard 8 visual style, including the window glass color, desktop background, and screen saver. For an example of how to set a customized theme, see Customized Theme XML Example.

See Also

Concepts

Embedded Core